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Liu X, He J, Jiang W, Wen S, Xiao Z. The Roles of Periaqueductal Gray and Dorsal Raphe Nucleus Dopaminergic Systems in the Mechanisms of Thermal Hypersensitivity and Depression in Mice. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2023; 24:1213-1228. [PMID: 36796500 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Depression and thermal hypersensitivity share pathogenic features and symptomology, but their pathophysiologic interactions have not been fully elucidated. Dopaminergic systems in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) and dorsal raphe nucleus have been implicated in these conditions due to their antinociception and antidepression effects, although their specific roles and underlying mechanisms remain obscure. In this study, chronic unpredictable mild stress (CMS) was used to induce depression-like behaviors and thermal hypersensitivity in C57BL/6J (wild-type) or dopamine transporter promoter mice to establish a mouse model of pain and depression comorbidity. Microinjections of quinpirole, a dopamine D2 receptor agonist, up-regulated D2 receptor expression in dorsal raphe nucleus and reduced depressive behaviors and thermal hypersensitivity with CMS, while dorsal raphe nucleus injections of JNJ-37822681, an antagonist of D2 receptors, had the reciprocal effect on dopamine D2 receptor expression and behaviors. Moreover, using a chemical genetics approach to activate or inhibit dopaminergic neurons in vlPAG ameliorated or exacerbated depression-like behaviors and thermal hypersensitivity, respectively, in dopamine transporter promoter-Cre CMS mice. Collectively these results demonstrated the specific role of vlPAG and dorsal raphe nucleus dopaminergic systems in the regulation of pain and depression comorbidity in mice. PERSPECTIVE: The current study provides insights into the complex mechanisms underlying thermal hypersensitivity induced by depression, and the findings suggest that pharmacological and chemogenetic modulation of dopaminergic systems in the vlPAG and dorsal raphe nucleus may be a promising therapeutic strategy to simultaneously mitigate pain and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingfeng Liu
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Brain Science, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China; Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ Protection, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Jingxin He
- Graduate School, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Graduate School, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Song Wen
- Department of Pain Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Zhi Xiao
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Brain Science, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China; Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ Protection, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China.
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Pati D, Lee SI, Conley SY, Sides T, Boyt KM, Hunker AC, Zweifel LS, Kash TL. Dopamine D2 receptors in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis modulate alcohol-related behaviors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.13.544820. [PMID: 37398115 PMCID: PMC10312666 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.13.544820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Dysregulation of the dopamine (DA) system is a hallmark of substance abuse disorders, including alcohol use disorder (AUD). Of the DA receptor subtypes, the DA D2 receptors (D2Rs) play a key role in the reinforcing effects of alcohol. D2Rs are expressed in numerous brain regions associated with the regulation of appetitive behaviors. One such region is the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), which has been linked to the development and maintenance of AUD. Recently, we identified alcohol withdrawal-related neuroadaptations in the periaqueductal gray/dorsal raphe to BNST DA circuit in male mice. However, the role of D2R-expressing BNST neurons in voluntary alcohol consumption is not well characterized. In this study, we used a CRISPR-Cas9-based viral approach, to selectively reduce the expression of D2Rs in BNST VGAT neurons and interrogated the impact of BNST D2Rs in alcohol-related behaviors. In male mice, reduced D2R expression potentiated the stimulatory effects of alcohol and increased voluntary consumption of 20% w/v alcohol in a two-bottle choice intermittent access paradigm. This effect was not specific to alcohol, as D2R deletion also increased sucrose intake in male mice. Interestingly, cell-specific deletion of BNST D2Rs in female mice did not alter alcohol-related behaviors but lowered the threshold for mechanical pain sensitivity. Collectively, our findings suggest a role for postsynaptic BNST D2Rs in the modulation of sex-specific behavioral responses to alcohol and sucrose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipanwita Pati
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sophia I. Lee
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sara Y. Conley
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Curriculum of Neuroscience, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tori Sides
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kristen M. Boyt
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Avery C. Hunker
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Larry S. Zweifel
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Thomas L. Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Agulló L, Muriel J, Margarit C, Escorial M, Garcia D, Herrero MJ, Hervás D, Sandoval J, Peiró AM. Sex Differences in Opioid Response Linked to OPRM1 and COMT genes DNA Methylation/Genotypes Changes in Patients with Chronic Pain. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12103449. [PMID: 37240556 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12103449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Analgesic-response variability in chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) has been reported due to several biological and environmental factors. This study was undertaken to explore sex differences linked to OPRM1 and COMT DNA methylation changes and genetic variants in analgesic response. A retrospective study with 250 real-world CNCP outpatients was performed in which data from demographic, clinical, and pharmacological variables were collected. DNA methylation levels (CpG island) were evaluated by pyrosequencing, and their interaction with the OPRM1 (A118G) and COMT (G472A) gene polymorphisms was studied. A priori-planned statistical analyses were conducted to compare responses between females and males. Sex-differential OPRM1 DNA methylation was observed to be linked to lower opioid use disorder (OUD) cases for females (p = 0.006). Patients with lower OPRM1 DNA methylation and the presence of the mutant G-allele reduced opioid dose requirements (p = 0.001), equal for both sexes. Moreover, COMT DNA methylation levels were negatively related to pain relief (p = 0.020), quality of life (p = 0.046), and some adverse events (probability > 90%) such as constipation, insomnia, or nervousness. Females were, significantly, 5 years older with high anxiety levels and a different side-effects distribution than males. The analyses demonstrated significant differences between females and males related to OPRM1 signalling efficiency and OUD, with a genetic-epigenetic interaction in opioid requirements. These findings support the importance of sex as a biological variable to be factored into chronic pain-management studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Agulló
- Pharmacogenetic Unit, Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Dr. Balmis General University Hospital, Pintor Baeza, 12, 03010 Alicante, Spain
- Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology and Chemical Safety Unit, Institute of Bioengineering, Miguel Hernández University, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 03202 Elche, Spain
| | - Javier Muriel
- Pharmacogenetic Unit, Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Dr. Balmis General University Hospital, Pintor Baeza, 12, 03010 Alicante, Spain
| | - César Margarit
- Pain Unit, Department of Health of Alicante, Dr. Balmis General University Hospital, c/Pintor Baeza, 12, 03010 Alicante, Spain
| | - Mónica Escorial
- Pharmacogenetic Unit, Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Dr. Balmis General University Hospital, Pintor Baeza, 12, 03010 Alicante, Spain
- Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology and Chemical Safety Unit, Institute of Bioengineering, Miguel Hernández University, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 03202 Elche, Spain
| | - Diana Garcia
- Epigenomics Core Facility, La Fe Health Research Institute, Ave. Fernando Abril Martorell, 106, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - María José Herrero
- Pharmacogenetics Unit, La Fe Health Research Institute, Ave. Fernando Abril Martorell, 106, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - David Hervás
- Department of Applied Statistics and Operations Research and Quality, Universitat Politècnica de Valéncia, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan Sandoval
- Epigenomics Core Facility, La Fe Health Research Institute, Ave. Fernando Abril Martorell, 106, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana M Peiró
- Pharmacogenetic Unit, Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Dr. Balmis General University Hospital, Pintor Baeza, 12, 03010 Alicante, Spain
- Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicology and Chemical Safety Unit, Institute of Bioengineering, Miguel Hernández University, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 03202 Elche, Spain
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De la Luz-Cuellar YE, Coffeen U, Mercado F, Granados-Soto V. Spinal dopaminergic D1-and D2-like receptors have a sex-dependent effect in an experimental model of fibromyalgia. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 948:175696. [PMID: 37003519 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.175696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
There is evidence about the importance of sex in pain. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of sex in the antiallodynic activity of spinal dopamine D1-and D2-like receptors in a model of fibromyalgia-type pain in rats. Reserpine induced the same extent of tactile allodynia in female and male rats. Intrathecal injection of SCH- 23390 (3-30 nmol, D1-like receptor antagonist), pramipexole (0.15-15 nmol) or quinpirole (1-10 nmol D2-like receptor agonists) increased withdrawal threshold in reserpine-treated female rats. Those drugs induced a greater antiallodynic effect in female rats. Sex-difference was also observed in a nerve injury model. Ovariectomy abated the antiallodynic effect of SCH- 23390 (30 nmol) in reserpine-treated rats, while systemic reconstitution of 17β-estradiol levels or intrathecal injection estrogen receptor-α agonist protopanaxatriol in ovariectomized reserpine-treated females restored the antiallodynic effect of SCH- 23390. Intrathecal administration of ICI-182,780 (estrogen receptor-α/β antagonist) or methyl-piperidino-pyrazole hydrate (estrogen receptor-α antagonist) abated 17β-estradiol-restored antiallodynic effect of SCH- 23390 in rats. In contrast, ovariectomy slightly reduced the effect of pramipexole (15 nmol) or quinpirole (10 nmol) in reserpine-treated rats, whereas systemic reconstitution of 17β-estradiol levels did not modify the antiallodynic effect of both drugs. Combination 17β-estradiol/progesterone, but not 17β-estradiol nor progesterone alone, restored the antiallodynic effect of pramipexole and quinpirole in the rats. Mifepristone (progesterone receptor antagonist) abated 17β-estradiol + progesterone restoration of antiallodynic effect of pramipexole and quinpirole. These data suggest that the antiallodynic effect of dopamine D1-and D2-like receptors in fibromyalgia-type pain depends on spinal 17β-estradiol/estrogen receptor-α and progesterone receptors, respectively.
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De la Luz-Cuellar YE, Rodríguez-Palma EJ, Franco-Enzástiga Ú, Déciga-Campos M, Mercado F, Granados-Soto V. Spinal dopaminergic D 1 and D 5 receptors contribute to reserpine-induced fibromyalgia-like pain in rats. Brain Res 2023; 1799:148167. [PMID: 36402178 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2022.148167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Fibromyalgia is a complex pain syndrome without a precise etiology. Reduced monoamines levels in serum and cerebrospinal fluid in fibromyalgia patients has been reported and could lead to a dysfunction of descending pain modulatory system producing the painful syndrome. This study evaluated the role of D1-like dopamine receptors in the reserpine-induced fibromyalgia-like pain model in female Wistar rats. Reserpine-treated animals were intrathecally injected with different dopamine receptors agonists and antagonists, and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) against D1 and D5 receptor subtypes. Withdrawal and muscle pressure thresholds were assessed with von Frey filaments and the Randall-Selitto test, respectively. Expression of D1-like receptors in lumbar spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion was determined using real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Reserpine induced tactile allodynia and muscle hyperalgesia. Intrathecal dopamine and D1-like receptor agonist SKF-38393 induced nociceptive hypersensitivity in naïve rats, whilst this effect was prevented by the D1-like receptor antagonist SCH-23390. Moreover, SCH-23390 induced a sex-dependent antiallodynic effect in reserpine-treated rats. Furthermore, transient silencing of D1 and D5 receptors significantly reduced reserpine-induced hypersensitivity in female rats. Reserpine slightly increased mRNA D5 receptor expression in dorsal spinal cord, but not in DRG. This work provides new insights about the involvement of the spinal dopaminergic D1/D5 receptors in reserpine-induced hypersensitivity in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Erick Josué Rodríguez-Palma
- Neurobiology of Pain Laboratory, Departamento de Farmacobiología, Cinvestav, South Campus, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Úrzula Franco-Enzástiga
- Neurobiology of Pain Laboratory, Departamento de Farmacobiología, Cinvestav, South Campus, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Myrna Déciga-Campos
- Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Francisco Mercado
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Celular, Dirección de Investigaciones en Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Vinicio Granados-Soto
- Neurobiology of Pain Laboratory, Departamento de Farmacobiología, Cinvestav, South Campus, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Effects of Intra-BLA Administration of PPAR Antagonists on Formalin-Evoked Nociceptive Behaviour, Fear-Conditioned Analgesia, and Conditioned Fear in the Presence or Absence of Nociceptive Tone in Rats. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27062021. [PMID: 35335382 PMCID: PMC8949000 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27062021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
There is evidence for the involvement of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) in pain, cognition, and anxiety. However, their role in pain–fear interactions is unknown. The amygdala plays a key role in pain, conditioned fear, and fear-conditioned analgesia (FCA). We investigated the effects of intra-basolateral amygdala (BLA) administration of PPARα, PPARβ/δ, and PPARγ antagonists on nociceptive behaviour, FCA, and conditioned fear in the presence or absence of nociceptive tone. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats received footshock (FC) or no footshock (NFC) in a conditioning arena. Twenty-three and a half hours later, rats received an intraplantar injection of formalin or saline and, 15 min later, intra-BLA microinjections of vehicle, PPARα (GW6471) PPARβ/δ (GSK0660), or PPARγ (GW9662) antagonists before arena re-exposure. Pain and fear-related behaviour were assessed, and neurotransmitters/endocannabinoids measured post-mortem. Intra-BLA administration of PPARα or PPARγ antagonists potentiated freezing in the presence of nociceptive tone. Blockade of all PPAR subtypes in the BLA increased freezing and BLA dopamine levels in NFC rats in the absence of nociceptive tone. Administration of intra-BLA PPARα and PPARγ antagonists increased levels of dopamine in the BLA compared with the vehicle-treated counterparts. In conclusion, PPARα and PPARγ in the BLA play a role in the expression or extinction of conditioned fear in the presence or absence of nociceptive tone.
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Presto P, Mazzitelli M, Junell R, Griffin Z, Neugebauer V. Sex differences in pain along the neuraxis. Neuropharmacology 2022; 210:109030. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Hagiwara H, Sakimura K, Abe M, Itoi K, Kamiya Y, Akema T, Funabashi T. Sex differences in pain-induced modulation of corticotropin-releasing hormone neurons in the dorsolateral part of the stria terminalis in mice. Brain Res 2021; 1773:147688. [PMID: 34644526 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
We earlier reported female-biased, sex-specific involvement of the dorsolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (dl BST) in the formalin-induced pain response in rats. The present study investigated pain effects on mice behaviors. Because the dl BST is densely populated with corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons, we examined sex differences in these parameters for the dl BST CRH neurons in male and female mice of a mouse line for which the CRH gene promoter (corticotropin-releasing factor [CRF]-Venus ΔNeo) controls the expression of the modified yellow fluorescent protein (Venus). Approximately 92% of Venus-positive cells in the dl BST were also CRH mRNA-positive, irrespective of sex. Therefore, the cells identified using Venus fluorescence were regarded as CRH neurons. A female-biased sex difference was observed in pain-induced behaviors during the interphase (5-15 min after formalin injection) but not during the later phase (phase 2, 15-60 min) in wild-type mice. In CRF-Venus ΔNeo mice, a female-biased difference was observed in either the earlier phase (phase 1, 0-5 min) or the interphase, but not in phase 2. Patch-clamp recordings taken using an acute BST slice obtained from a CRF-Venus ΔNeo mouse after formalin injection showed miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) and miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs). Remarkably, the mEPSCs frequency was higher in the Venus-expressing cells of formalin-injected female mice than in vehicle-treated female mice. Male mice showed no increase in mEPSC frequency by formalin injection. Formalin injection had no effect on mEPSC or mIPSC amplitudes in either sex. Pain-induced changes in mEPSC frequency in putative CRH neurons were phase-dependent. Results show that excitatory synaptic inputs to BST CRH neurons are temporally enhanced along with behavioral sex differences in pain response, suggesting that pain signals alter the BST CRH neurons excitability in a sex-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroko Hagiwara
- Department of Physiology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, 2-16-1 Sugao Miyamae-ku, Kawasaki 216-8511, Japan
| | - Kenji Sakimura
- Department of Animal Model Development, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
| | - Manabu Abe
- Department of Animal Model Development, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
| | - Keiichi Itoi
- Laboratory of Information Biology, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3-09 Aramaki-aza Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Kamiya
- Division of Anesthesiology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori, Chuo-ku, Niigata 950-8510, Japan
| | - Tatsuo Akema
- Department of Physiology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, 2-16-1 Sugao Miyamae-ku, Kawasaki 216-8511, Japan
| | - Toshiya Funabashi
- Department of Physiology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, 2-16-1 Sugao Miyamae-ku, Kawasaki 216-8511, Japan.
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Gilpin NW, Yu W, Kash TL. Forebrain-Midbrain Circuits and Peptides Involved in Hyperalgesia After Chronic Alcohol Exposure. Alcohol Res 2021; 41:13. [PMID: 34729286 PMCID: PMC8549866 DOI: 10.35946/arcr.v41.1.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
People living with pain report drinking alcohol to relieve pain. Acute alcohol use reduces pain, and chronic alcohol use facilitates the emergence or exaggeration of pain. Recently, funding agencies and neuroscientists involved in basic research have turned their attention to understanding the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie pain-alcohol interactions, with a focus on circuit and molecular mediators of alcohol-induced changes in pain-related behavior. This review briefly discusses some examples of work being done in this area, with a focus on reciprocal projections between the midbrain and extended amygdala, as well as some neurochemical mediators of pain-related phenotypes after alcohol exposure. Finally, as more work accumulates on this topic, the authors highlight the need for the neuroscience field to carefully consider sex and age in the design and analysis of pain-alcohol interaction experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas W Gilpin
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.,Department of Neuroscience, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.,Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center of Excellence, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.,Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development and Clinical Science Research and Development Intramural Program, Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Waylin Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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Yu W, Pati D, Pina MM, Schmidt KT, Boyt KM, Hunker AC, Zweifel LS, McElligott ZA, Kash TL. Periaqueductal gray/dorsal raphe dopamine neurons contribute to sex differences in pain-related behaviors. Neuron 2021; 109:1365-1380.e5. [PMID: 33740416 PMCID: PMC9990825 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences in pain severity, response, and pathological susceptibility are widely reported, but the neural mechanisms that contribute to these outcomes remain poorly understood. Here we show that dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray/dorsal raphe (vlPAG/DR) differentially regulate pain-related behaviors in male and female mice through projections to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). We find that activation of vlPAG/DRDA+ neurons or vlPAG/DRDA+ terminals in the BNST reduces nociceptive sensitivity during naive and inflammatory pain states in male mice, whereas activation of this pathway in female mice leads to increased locomotion in the presence of salient stimuli. We additionally use slice physiology and genetic editing approaches to demonstrate that vlPAG/DRDA+ projections to the BNST drive sex-specific responses to pain through DA signaling, providing evidence of a novel ascending circuit for pain relief in males and contextual locomotor response in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waylin Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Dipanwita Pati
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Melanie M Pina
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Karl T Schmidt
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kristen M Boyt
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Avery C Hunker
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Larry S Zweifel
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Zoe A McElligott
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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11
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Qualitative sex differences in pain processing: emerging evidence of a biased literature. Nat Rev Neurosci 2020; 21:353-365. [PMID: 32440016 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-0310-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 346] [Impact Index Per Article: 86.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Although most patients with chronic pain are women, the preclinical literature regarding pain processing and the pathophysiology of chronic pain has historically been derived overwhelmingly from the study of male rodents. This Review describes how the recent adoption by a number of funding agencies of policies mandating the incorporation of sex as a biological variable into preclinical research has correlated with an increase in the number of studies investigating sex differences in pain and analgesia. Trends in the field are analysed, with a focus on newly published findings of qualitative sex differences: that is, those findings that are suggestive of differential processing mechanisms in each sex. It is becoming increasingly clear that robust differences exist in the genetic, molecular, cellular and systems-level mechanisms of acute and chronic pain processing in male and female rodents and humans.
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CRF modulation of central monoaminergic function: Implications for sex differences in alcohol drinking and anxiety. Alcohol 2018; 72:33-47. [PMID: 30217435 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2018.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Revised: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Decades of research have described the importance of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) signaling in alcohol addiction, as well as in commonly co-expressed neuropsychiatric diseases, including anxiety and mood disorders. However, CRF signaling can also acutely regulate binge alcohol consumption, anxiety, and affect in non-dependent animals, possibly via modulation of central monoaminergic signaling. We hypothesize that basal CRF tone is particularly high in animals and humans with an inherent propensity for high anxiety and alcohol consumption, and thus these individuals are at increased risk for the development of alcohol use disorder and comorbid neuropsychiatric diseases. The current review focuses on extrahypothalamic CRF circuits, particularly those stemming from the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), found to play a role in basal phenotypes, and examines whether the intrinsic hyperactivity of these circuits is sufficient to escalate the expression of these behaviors and steepen the trajectory of development of disease states. We focus our efforts on describing CRF modulation of biogenic amine neuron populations that have widespread projections to the forebrain to modulate behaviors, including alcohol and drug intake, stress reactivity, and anxiety. Further, we review the known sex differences and estradiol modulation of these neuron populations and CRF signaling at their synapses to address the question of whether females are more susceptible to the development of comorbid addiction and stress-related neuropsychiatric diseases because of hyperactive extrahypothalamic CRF circuits compared to males.
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Sullivan DA, Rocha EM, Aragona P, Clayton JA, Ding J, Golebiowski B, Hampel U, McDermott AM, Schaumberg DA, Srinivasan S, Versura P, Willcox MDP. TFOS DEWS II Sex, Gender, and Hormones Report. Ocul Surf 2017; 15:284-333. [PMID: 28736336 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtos.2017.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 236] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
One of the most compelling features of dry eye disease (DED) is that it occurs more frequently in women than men. In fact, the female sex is a significant risk factor for the development of DED. This sex-related difference in DED prevalence is attributed in large part to the effects of sex steroids (e.g. androgens, estrogens), hypothalamic-pituitary hormones, glucocorticoids, insulin, insulin-like growth factor 1 and thyroid hormones, as well as to the sex chromosome complement, sex-specific autosomal factors and epigenetics (e.g. microRNAs). In addition to sex, gender also appears to be a risk factor for DED. "Gender" and "sex" are words that are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings. "Gender" refers to a person's self-representation as a man or woman, whereas "sex" distinguishes males and females based on their biological characteristics. Both gender and sex affect DED risk, presentation of the disease, immune responses, pain, care-seeking behaviors, service utilization, and myriad other facets of eye health. Overall, sex, gender and hormones play a major role in the regulation of ocular surface and adnexal tissues, and in the difference in DED prevalence between women and men. The purpose of this Subcommittee report is to review and critique the nature of this role, as well as to recommend areas for future research to advance our understanding of the interrelationships between sex, gender, hormones and DED.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Sullivan
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Eduardo M Rocha
- Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Pasquale Aragona
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ocular Surface Diseases Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Sicily, Italy
| | - Janine A Clayton
- National Institutes of Health Office of Research on Women's Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Juan Ding
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Blanka Golebiowski
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ulrike Hampel
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Alison M McDermott
- The Ocular Surface Institute, College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Debra A Schaumberg
- Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Sruthi Srinivasan
- Centre for Contact Lens Research, School of Optometry, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Piera Versura
- Department of Specialized, Experimental, and Diagnostic Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Mark D P Willcox
- School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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Lebow MA, Chen A. Overshadowed by the amygdala: the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis emerges as key to psychiatric disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2016; 21:450-63. [PMID: 26878891 PMCID: PMC4804181 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 426] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2015] [Revised: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a center of integration for limbic information and valence monitoring. The BNST, sometimes referred to as the extended amygdala, is located in the basal forebrain and is a sexually dimorphic structure made up of between 12 and 18 sub-nuclei. These sub-nuclei are rich with distinct neuronal subpopulations of receptors, neurotransmitters, transporters and proteins. The BNST is important in a range of behaviors such as: the stress response, extended duration fear states and social behavior, all crucial determinants of dysfunction in human psychiatric diseases. Most research on stress and psychiatric diseases has focused on the amygdala, which regulates immediate responses to fear. However, the BNST, and not the amygdala, is the center of the psychogenic circuit from the hippocampus to the paraventricular nucleus. This circuit is important in the stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Thus, the BNST has been largely overlooked with respect to its possible dysregulation in mood and anxiety disorders, social dysfunction and psychological trauma, all of which have clear gender disparities. In this review, we will look in-depth at the anatomy and projections of the BNST, and provide an overview of the current literature on the relevance of BNST dysregulation in psychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Lebow
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel ,grid.419548.50000 0000 9497 5095Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - A Chen
- grid.13992.300000 0004 0604 7563Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel ,grid.419548.50000 0000 9497 5095Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
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15
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Bai X, Zhang X, Li Y, Lu L, Li B, He X. Sex differences in peripheral mu-opioid receptor mediated analgesia in rat orofacial persistent pain model. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0122924. [PMID: 25807259 PMCID: PMC4373836 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2014] [Accepted: 02/16/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Unilateral ligation of the tendon of anterior superficial part of rat masseter muscle (TASM) leads to long-lasting allodynia. Sex differences in peripheral mu-opioid receptor (MOR)-mediated analgesia under persistent myogenic pain are not well understood. In this study, we examined (1) whether locally applied MOR agonists attenuate persistent pain following TASM ligation in a sex dependent manner, (2) whether there are sex differences of MOR expression changes in rat trigeminal ganglia (TG). The effects of MOR agonist, D-Ala2, N-Me-Phe4, Gly5-ol]-Enkephalin acetate salt (DAMGO), were assessed 14 days after TASM ligation in male, female and orchidectomized (GDX) male rats. MOR mRNA and protein levels in TG 14 days following tendon ligation were also determined. The mechanical thresholds of the injured side were significantly decreased in both male and female rats, from 3 days to 28 days after TASM ligation. A10 μg DAMGO significantly attenuated allodynia in male rats. A 10-fold higher dose of DAMGO was required in female and GDX male rats to produce the level of anti- allodynia achieved in male rats. The level of MOR mRNA in TG from male rats was significantly greater 14 days after TASM ligation compared with the sham-operated male rats, but not from female and GDX male rats. After TASM ligation, males had significantly more MOR immunoreactivity in TG compared to sham-operated males. The MOR levels increased to 181.8% of the sham level in male rats receiving tendon injury. But there was no significant change in female rats receiving tendon injury compared to the sham female rats. Taken together, our data suggest that there were sex differences in the effects of peripheral MOR agonists between male and female rats under TASM ligation developing long-lasting pain condition, which is partly mediated by sex differences in the changes of MOR expressions and testosterone is an important factor in the regulation of MOR.
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MESH Headings
- Analgesics, Opioid/pharmacology
- Analgesics, Opioid/therapeutic use
- Animals
- Behavior, Animal/drug effects
- Disease Models, Animal
- Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-/pharmacology
- Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-/therapeutic use
- Facial Pain/drug therapy
- Facial Pain/etiology
- Facial Pain/veterinary
- Female
- Hyperalgesia/drug therapy
- Hyperalgesia/etiology
- Hyperalgesia/pathology
- Immunohistochemistry
- Male
- Orchiectomy
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/agonists
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/genetics
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/metabolism
- Sex Characteristics
- Tendon Injuries/complications
- Tendon Injuries/pathology
- Trigeminal Ganglion/metabolism
- Trigeminal Ganglion/pathology
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Bai
- Associate Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School & Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, 117 North Nanjing Street, Shenyang, P. R. of China, 110002
- * E-mail: (XZ); (XB)
| | - Xia Zhang
- Associate Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, 117 North Nanjing Street, Shenyang, P. R. of China, 110002
- * E-mail: (XZ); (XB)
| | - Yanshu Li
- Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Biology, China Medical University, 92 Bei'er Road, Shenyang, P. R. of China, 110001
| | - Li Lu
- Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School & Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, 117 North Nanjing Street, Shenyang, P. R. of China, 110002
| | - Bo Li
- Associate Professor, Department of Oral Anatomy and Physiology, School of Stomatology, China Medical University, 117 North Nanjing Street, Shenyang, P. R. of China, 110002
| | - Xiaofan He
- Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, 117 North Nanjing Street, Shenyang, P. R. of China, 110002
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